As has been mentioned in previous communications, USATT is committed to fully embrace the SafeSport Plan as mandated by the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC). We are doing this to be in compliance with the USOC mandates in this matter and because it is simply the right thing to do to protect all of our members and to nurture a healthy and safe environment for our sport.

Attached you will find a copy of the USATT SafeSport Plan. This is a ‘living’ document that is subject to updating and adjustments as the plan unfolds and expands.

In the first phase of the USATT SafeSport Plan we are requiring that all members of our Certified Coaching Pool, Board Members, Staff Members and Committee Chairs go on-line (link provided in the SafeSport Plan) and complete the background check process through the firm that we have engaged to provide this service. We ask that this be completed by March 31, 2014 in order to continue to be recognized within the USATT organization. We are also asking these same folks to complete the free USOC on-line tutorial on SafeSport (link provided in the SafeSport Plan). This is deemed as an excellent educational piece to present all aspects of the SafeSport Plan.

The second phase of the USATT SafeSport Plan is targeted to be launched on or about April 1, 2014. It will expand out to include our Affiliated Club Owners and Operators, Referees, Umpires, Tournament Directors and Organizers, USATT Committee Members and Advisory Committee Members and anyone else who has access to minors within USATT sanctioned competition or club activity. We will require the same compliance with background checks and the free on-line USOC tutorial. This second group will be expected to be in compliance by July 1, 2014.

We will also ask each affiliated club to designate a SafeSport Officer to be the liaison to the overall program and be the champion of this effort within their respective clubs. We envision providing posters that can be displayed within a club designating them as a SafeSport Club as a way of raising the awareness of the effort to provide safe environments for all participants.

Thank you for your attention to this matter and more information will follow as we develop outreach notification to the mentioned sub-groups identified above. USATT looks forward to working with you to grow Table Tennis through this program for the near and long term!